Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Scranton, PA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.6% of gross income.
Scranton rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).
About rent and a police officer salary
The gap between a police officer's base pay and the rent in the city they patrol is a widely tracked local affordability question. Many large-city departments now publish recruitment materials that include a local-rent comparison, because affordability has become a recruiting issue. At the national-average officer base pay, the 30% rule supports about $1,932 a month in rent. The per-city pages combine local rent with local officer-pay estimates to show where rent stays within that range.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Scranton, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Scranton
View full rent data for Scranton, PA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Scranton, PA?
Median rent in Scranton is $1,315 a month. A typical police officer in Pennsylvania earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 20.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Scranton?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Pennsylvania (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Scranton's current median rent is $1,315/mo, which leaves a $597/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Scranton?
At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Pennsylvania works roughly 35.8 hours a month to cover Scranton's median rent of $1,315.
Where is rent cheaper than Scranton for a police officer?
Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Allison Park ($1,314/mo), Bethel Park ($1,314/mo), Ephrata ($1,314/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.